(A condensed version of this story appeared in today’s edition of USA TODAY.)

After nearly 14 months away from the cage and a mandatory nine-month vacation for a failed drug test this past March, UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem is coming back.

That much was guaranteed as soon as the Nevada State Athletic Commission granted him a license to fight Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva (17-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) at UFC 156 in Las Vegas this Saturday night (10 p.m. ET, pay-per-view). It’s what Overeem (36-11 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is coming back to, and what condition his reputation is in, that remains uncertain.

For years speculation swirled about the hulking Dutch striker who went from light heavyweight beanpole to heavyweight mammoth midway through his career. When he came up positive for elevated testosterone-to-epitestosterone levels after a surprise drug test this past spring, many took it as confirmation of long-held suspicions.

Overeem still maintains that a doctor injected him with testosterone without his knowledge – a doctor with whom he says he now has “no ties, no contact” – but that explanation may prove insufficient for skeptical fight fans, and the former Strikeforce and K-1 kickboxing champion knows it.

“Obviously it has created noise, some negative and some positive,” Overeem told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “Some fans, they liked me, and they still like me. Some liked me, and now don’t like me. Some didn’t like me and will never like me. It’s hard to predict. But I still get a lot of support from the fans. Look at my Twitter. I think a lot of fans are awaiting my return to the UFC.”

The UFC itself seems to have been awaiting it as well. After initially declaring himself “too upset” to even talk about Overeem’s failed drug test, UFC President Dana White said he turned around on the big man after Overeem made a point to meet with him in Zuffa’s Las Vegas offices.

According to Overeem, he hadn’t spoken much with White before then, and, “I think Dana just had a misunderstanding of how my character is.”

“I went in there, and I explained to him what happened,” Overeem said. “I explained my story, and I explained what my plans were, what steps I’d taken to prevent a similar accident in the future, and I think he appreciated that direct approach, the approach of taking responsibility for my actions. That set off our relationship in a new light.”

At least for the moment, he seems to be back in the UFC’s good graces. Many still regard Overeem as the logical next challenger for the UFC heavyweight title, and few are expecting his heavyweight showdown with Silva to be terribly competitive. Even Overeem calls it a “warm-up fight” to prepare him for a shot at UFC heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez, despite the possibility that he might be a little rusty after so much time off.

“Obviously I’ve not fought for 13 months, so it’s going to be a good test for me,” Overeem said. “I should not overlook ‘Bigfoot’ Silva, but if I look at my training and what I do to my sparring partners, I should not make ‘Bigfoot’ Silva more than he is. He should not be a problem, but that’s why it’s a warm-up fight.”

But even if things go as planned on Saturday, one win probably won’t repair the damage of that failed drug test. Especially when it follows years of open speculation and murmured accusations, that’s the kind of thing that can follow a fighter no matter how many clean urine samples he provides in the future. Overeem knows some fans may never support him now, he said, but he’s “not in the process of trying to change their minds.”

“I’m just being me, doing what I do, and it’s my job,” Overeem said. “Sometimes your job makes people like you, and sometimes it makes people not like you. It’s up to them to decide what they want to do.”

And if they decide they still don’t believe he’s clean, even if he beats Silva and goes on to capture the UFC heavyweight title?

“I can live with that,” Overeem said. “I surely, definitely can live that.”

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